
Large, swan-sized mostly brown waterbird with a massive, long beak with extensible pouch. Atlantic populations have greenish to brown pouches and pale yellowish bills. Western birds have red pouch. Adults have grayish backs with darker brown underparts. Broad, crooked, long wings. Black legs and short tail. Breeding birds have light yellow crown and brown neck with white stripe. Non-breeding birds have mostly white neck and crown and pale yellow forehead. Immature birds are mostly brown or brownish-gray with white bellies and a pale underwing stripe.
Length: 130 (cm) Wingspan: 200 (cm)
Voice:
Generally silent when not at nesting colonies. Display calls are short squawks.
Habitat:
Warm, marine areas including bays and estuaries.
Behavior:
Sometimes found foraging in small flocks; nest in colonies. In flight, they alternate between very slow deliberate wingbeats and extended gliding, often very low over the surf.
Feeding:
Plunges into water with open beak to capture fish and small marine invertebrates.
Field Notes
Expanded Life History
Feed Ecology And Diet | Contribute Content |
Nesting Habits | Contribute Content |
Migration Status | Contribute Content |
Conservation Status | Contribute Content |
Local Sites to Spot | Contribute Content |
Abundance Status | Contribute Content |
Adult Male Description | Contribute Content |
Adult Female Description | Contribute Content |
ITIS Taxonomic Number | Contribute Content |
Sonogram | Contribute Content |
Courtship | Contribute Content |
Reproductive Characteristics | Contribute Content |
Relationship to Humans | Contribute Content |
ID Tips - Size & Shape | Contribute Content |
ID Tips - Color & Pattern | Contribute Content |
ID Tips - Habitat | Contribute Content |
ID Tips - Behavior | Contribute Content |
ID Tips - Wingspan | Contribute Content |
ID Tips - Weight | Contribute Content |
Breeding | Contribute Content |
Cool Facts | Contribute Content |
Local Knowledge | Contribute Content |
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Sightings
Date | Submitted By | Count |
---|---|---|
11/15/14 | Dave Irons, OR | 2 |
11/15/14 | Dave Irons, OR | 2 |
11/15/14 | Dave Irons, OR | 2 |
11/15/14 | Bob Archer | # |
10/26/14 | Jesse Ray | 36 |
08/02/14 | Dave Irons, OR | 2 |
08/02/14 | Dave Irons, OR | 450 |
08/02/14 | Dave Irons, OR | 600 |
08/02/14 | Dave Irons, OR | 25 |
10/04/13 | Dave Irons, OR | 20 |
10/05/13 | Bob Archer | # |
09/28/13 | Dave Irons, OR | 600 |
07/23/12 | Chelsea Bassanese, BC | 2 |
08/11/13 | Dave Irons, OR | 6 |
08/10/13 | Dave Irons, OR | 210 |
Recent Activity
Activity | Date & Time |
---|---|
Steven Mauvais added Brown Pelican to their Roosevelt Beach smart list | 11/28/2011 at 2:34PM |
Jacob Parks added Brown Pelican to their Tillamook Bay smart list | 11/02/2011 at 1:31AM |
Dan Mitchell added Brown Pelican to their E G Simmons Park, Ruskin, Florida smart list | 7/03/2011 at 11:12AM |